


Daughters

by yellowflickerbeats



Series: Daughters [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Dark Castle, Dark One Belle, Dark One Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-12
Updated: 2016-05-12
Packaged: 2018-06-07 23:58:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6830689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yellowflickerbeats/pseuds/yellowflickerbeats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snow and Charming make a deal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> first fic; very much au. if you want to place it in time and space, it's after snow/charming's honeymoon but before regina casts the curse. there will be two parts to this!

Snow sighed as she took her place at the round table. Another obscure path proved wrong and they were back at square one. They couldn’t stop what was going to happen. Regina was going to win. She was going to take their child. 

Snow stared down at the small, round curve of her stomach, which barely poked through her dress. She truly wished they had time on their side, but reality proved that every day was absolutely precious. Every day was one day closer to the inevitable if they couldn’t find a way to stop it. 

Charming silently stepped behind Snow’s chair and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. He knew it wouldn’t calm her wild thoughts, but he could dream. “We’ll find a way to stop her, Snow. We always have and we always will,” he pointed out, but she didn’t respond. She was off in another land, one where their child wasn’t in danger. 

\- - - 

Darkness approached the castle, signaling rest for both the King and Queen. Several hours passed and silence loomed. However, at one point during the night, the sound of panicked screams filled the air. Charming’s eyes flew wide open and he shot up straight in bed, looking for the nearest weapon he could use to defend with. Obviously there must have been some kind of intruder to elicit those screams from someone. However, as the sleepy fog faded and his thoughts became clearer, he knew who the screams were coming from.

Snow lay in bed right beside him, twisting and turning and screaming and panicking. Sweaty hair stuck to her forehead in all ways and she tugged protectively at her nightgown in her sleep. Charming’s heart ached for her. “Snow,” he said, as he placed his hand on her shoulder and shook her awake, as gently as he could. 

A few moments later and the screaming stopped. Snow was left lying beside him, her heavy breathing filling the room.. He moved his hand to push the hair out of her eyes just as she opened hers. She couldn’t find the words yet, but Charming merely shook his head. “It’s alright, it was just a dream,” he whispered with a genuine smile. Snow tried to smile back, but only a sigh escaped. She sat up in bed and threw the duvet off of her before turning to Charming. 

“It was the same dream again,” Snow muttered with a slight eye roll. It was always the same dream. The dream where Regina won the game and their unborn child was the prize. Their daughter, Snow secretly knew. Charming nodded in understanding and reached over to their side table, quickly lighting the candle that always remained. 

“I’m sure we’ll find something useful tomorrow, something to keep you and our child safe,” Charming tried to offer in encouragement. Snow immediately shook her head and threw her legs over the side of the bed. She stood up and crossed her arms, anxious determination spread all over her face.

“We can’t just wait around forever, James. We don’t have forever,” she exclaimed before beginning to pace the room. “I can’t just sit around the castle and wait for a miracle to happen. I’m doing that now and we have _nothing_ ,” she said, a whisper accenting the end of her words. 

“What do you suppose we do then?” Charming retaliated as he stood up to stand beside his wife. He knew an argument with her, especially when she was pregnant, was a lost cause. Snow only smiled at his words, an idea already firmly planted in her head.

“We need to talk to those who are more powerful than even Regina,” Snow said with a smirk before turning on her heels to leave the room. 

\- - - 

The knowledge regarding The Dark Ones was limited strictly to word of mouth. No one knew the consequences that would occur if someone wrote down who, or what, The Dark Ones were. Snow was raised by royalty, meaning she had no use of stories regarding the ones who made deals in exchange for what they wanted (or needed) most. Thankfully, Charming, as a shepherd, knew a bit more. 

“All I know is that there are two of them, and they are serious about their deals. One only goes to them if they are truly desperate,” he explained as he sat beside his wife at the round table. The entire room was empty as the moon shone brightly over the castle, which was filled with sleepy servants and guards, let alone for a select few on duty. 

“Well, we’re desperate, aren’t we?” Snow responded back, her hands resting over her barely swollen stomach. It was Charming’s turn to sigh. At this point, they were, and Snow was right. They couldn’t wait around forever. “Alright, so what do we do? How do we summon them?” He questioned, both eyes focused on her. 

Snow furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. How was she supposed to know? “I’m not sure, I have no knowledge of their names,” she explained, panic already seeping into their voice. If they couldn’t do this, they were on the brink of being truly helpless. 

“Alright, don’t worry,” Charming responded before standing up. He knew his wife, and he knew she was already heading into another anxious state. “I suppose we could just summon them through their general name,” he suggested, walking over to the opposite side of the round table. Snow nodded at his words and Charming took a deep breath. “Dark Ones, I summon thee,” he stated, already bracing himself for the worst. A few moments passed and and silence still remained, until… 

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” a strange voice echoed through the room, causing Charming to jump. Both him and Snow turned their heads in all directions looking for the source of the new voice. Instantly, a puff of purple smoke clouded both of their visions and before them stood a man. At least, what they thought was a man. 

“Snow White and Prince Charming, I presume?” The so-called man questioned, wild eyes switching between the two of them. This supposed man with the gold skin wore what appeared to be the leather from some reptilian animal. His hair hung loose in curly strands, almost all the way down to his shoulders. He was not what the royal couple was expecting.

“Yes, are you a Dark One?” Snow asked, not even bothering to question how he knew their names. Many people knew their names. 

“A Dark One? That’s quite rude of you, dearie. I prefer _The_ Dark One,” he responded, moving slowly towards where Snow White sat. Charming quickly moved to her side, a threatening look in his eyes. 

“We had heard they were two of you,” Charming intervened in an attempt to limit the amount of interaction between Snow and this strange creature. The man huffed as he walked behind Snow White’s chair, his finger trailing along the outline of the seat. 

“Why yes, there is. However, it only takes one of us to make a deal,” the Dark One responded, a twisted smile appearing on his face. “At least, that is what I am assuming I am here for,” he elaborated as he halted his movement and turned to face the lovebirds. He turned his feet and stood directly across from where the duo sat. 

“Yes, we apologize,” Snow said, “You just took us off guard. As my husband said, we thought there would be two of you.” The man only rolled his eyes. “Well, if you want us both here, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind joining us,” he stated. Snow’s eyes widened at his words, causing her to sit up straight in the chair. “Wait, _she?_ ” Snow responded, confusion clouding her face once again.

By then, another cloud of colorful smoke erupted in the room. This time, it was light blue and before the royal duo could even process what was happening, a smaller figure was standing before them.

This new petite woman looked distinctively different, yet similar to the man she stood beside. This girl did not have the same eerie skin that was already beginning to haunt Snow’s thoughts. In fact, she looked very much human. The new figure in the room had hair dark brown in color, which hung down in tidy waves, much like the man’s did. However, her’s was pinned back at the sides, which allowed her wide, dark, and curious eyes to be clear and always in view. She wore a dark blue bodice over a dark long-sleeved shirt. The outfit also featured black leather pants, accented with heeled boots. To complete the outfit, the woman had fastened a black leather train-like fabric around her waist, stopping short before it hit the floor. It was open at the front, and Snow finally noticed a major characteristic that she hadn’t before. The lady’s stomach was raised much like Snow’s would be in a few short months. She was pregnant.

Snow was snapped out of her thoughts the second the girl opened her mouth. “I heard I was needed,” the small woman said. Her voice was accented, but not as high-pitched as her supposed counterpart. However, it was clear that there was a darkness within her words. She was most definitely the other Dark One. 

“Yes, Snow White and Prince Charming here were not satisfied by my appearance alone,” the man said, gesturing to the couple who sat in front of them. 

“What a shame,” the woman said before moving slowly around the table, her heels clicking against the floor. “I happen to like your presence,” the lady said teasingly and seductively. Her words were thick and filled up the room with ease. The man smiled in response before turning his attention back to Snow and Charming. “Now that we are both here, I think it’s time to make a deal, hm?” The man inquired, causing them to refocus their attention.

“Yes, but first, may we ask what your name’s are? We do need to know who we are dealing with, and you already know ours,” Charming spoke up, glancing between the two dark one’s who stood on separate sides of the table. The man stifled a laugh.

“I’m not sure you have earned the right to know our names,” the man said, anger slipping into his voice. Snow happened to glance over at the woman who was now rolling her eyes at her counterpart’s words.

“Rumple, please. They have a right to know,” she said before redirecting her voice back to the charming couple. “He is Rumplestiltskin, and I am Belle,” she explained, a small smile appearing on her face after she spoke their names. “Anymore questions?” she asked, her voice just a hint deeper. Snow and Charming both shook their heads, causing Belle to smile even wider.

“Wonderful,” Belle exclaimed, “now what is it that you two want from us? I’m not sure if you noticed, but it’s quite late, and some of us like to sleep,” she said, her hands clasped right in front of her curved stomach. Snow could tell she wasn’t due anytime soon, maybe only 5 or 6 months along. Still, the concept confused her. She was a _dark one_. Could dark one’s bear children? The answer was rather obvious though. In fact, the couple had made it extremely clear that the child was indeed both of theirs, regarding the way they acted around each other. Snow shook away the thoughts due to a multitude of reasons, but mainly because Belle was right. It was late and they were running out of time. 

“We need help defeating someone,” Charming answered, before reaching down to grasp his wife’s hand. Rumplestiltskin snickered out of his peripheral vision. “Yes, we assumed that,” he replied, “you are indeed the King and Queen.” Charming sighed. Of course they knew that. 

“Be more specific, will you?” Rumple finished his thought as he watched Belle pause near where the two sat, her eyes locking in on Snow. Charming was about to answer the question before Belle’s voice interrupted. 

“You want to protect your child, don’t you?” Belle stated plainly. Snow was _barely_ showing, so she wondered how she even knew she was pregnant, let alone why they had summoned the dark duo in the first place. However, Snow again didn’t bother with the questions. “Yes, from The Evil Queen. Regina,” Snow answered, her hands going to rest protectively over her stomach at the mention of her name. 

“The Evil Queen!” Rumplestiltskin echoed from the other side of the room. Belle shot him a look from where she stood before focusing her attention back on Snow and Charming. 

“Why would she wish to harm your child?” Belle questioned again, this time a bit more forceful. It was becoming clear that both Belle and Rumplestiltskin had crossed paths with Regina at one point or another. Snow merely shrugged at her question. “I ruined her happy ending, so now she wants to ruin mine,” she responded with a drained voice. She was not completely sure why Regina wanted their child, but it was the best reason Snow could come up with. What else could it have been?

Belle nodded at her words, turning on her heels and furthering the distance between them. She moved quickly across the room. “We will help you,” she said nonchalantly, a few moments later. Snow sighed in relief. Finally, after weeks of hopeless missions and plans, something had turned up in their favor. “Thank you,” Snow said in response, her nerves already on the verge of slowing.

“How, though?” Charming questioned, shifting on his feet. Belle stopped and turned back to them. She was about to speak, before a voice interrupted her. 

“Why, through a deal of course!” Rumplestiltskin responded, his voice squeaking up at the end. Now, this was the part the stories warned Charming about. The deals. The leverage. Rumplestiltskin moved closer to where Snow and Charming sat, a conniving smile forming on his face. 

“Rumplestiltskin!” Belle yelled from across the room, her voice causing her counterpart to stop right in his tracks. The light blue smoke filled the room again and Belle had transported herself to where Rumplestiltskin stood. Snow was not sure why she needed to use magic at that moment, but after glancing down once more at the heeled boots she was wearing, her thoughts had vanished. 

“This is for their child, Rumple. We’re not taking anything from them,” she simply said, causing Rumplestiltskin to sigh out of frustration. Now it was Charming’s turn to stifle his laughter. He couldn’t begin to fathom how this bickering couple were known as the darkest souls in all of the Enchanted Forest. 

“This is a deal, Belle. It is a two way event,” Rumplestiltskin explained, his hands gesturing in all different ways. Belle huffed out in frustration and it was clear that she was not having any of it.  
“Well, this deal is my deal and I demand nothing in return. As long as your child remains safe and in your care, I wish of nothing from either of you,” Belle said as she moved closer to the couple, “We will take care of it. Fret not, Regina will not be getting away with this,” she finished. 

Snow sighed out in relief. For once, she was thankful for her night horrors. They actually led to something finally getting done regarding the safety of their child. The newfound hope caused tears to prickle at the corners of her eyes and she mustered up a genuine smile. “Thank you,” she said, reaching her hand out towards the small woman. Belle gave a tiny smile in return and grasped her hand as well, holding it tightly. 

By now, Rumplestiltskin was standing in the corner, easily bored with how the deal had went. At once, he raised his hand and the purple smoke filled where he stood and he was gone. “What about your… husband? Will he be alright with this?” Charming took a jab at classifying what this strange couple were. If he was wrong, Belle did not correct him.

“He’ll get over it,” she said, with a slight eye roll, “he doesn’t understand, it’s a motherly thing,” Belle said with a wink as she let go of Snow White’s hand. If Belle said he would get over it, then they had to believe he would. But even then, it didn’t matter. This was a deal they made with Belle and not Rumplestiltskin. 

After letting go of Snow’s hand, Belle took a few steps back. Snow quickly stood up and reached for Charming’s hand, pulling it over her stomach. “Thank you again, from the both of us,” Snow repeated. She would have to wait until the next day to see how Belle fixed the issue, but at least she could sleep tonight knowing they were on the right track.

Belle smiled at her words, lifting her hand before pausing. “Of course. You and I are quite similar, you know. We’d do anything to protect our daughters,” she said with another wink, before the light blue smoke filled her spot and Snow and Charming were left sitting in the large room by themselves. Charming blinked, the shock of the entire event wearing off. However, it did not take long for a new shock to fill in the gaps. 

“Wait, we’re having a daughter?”


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle confronts Regina.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part 2/2. a little bit darker than the first part, but i hope you enjoy!

Belle’s magic brought her to the main entranceway of the Dark Castle with ease and she heaved a sigh as the smoke settled. Deals drained her nowadays, especially when they hit so close to home. She moved to enter the main hall, the doors opening for her automatically. She strode in with determination, hoping to see her husband sitting at the wheel. 

He had left the deal with Snow White and Prince Charming early and she couldn’t blame him. He was right. Deals were a two-way price and Belle consciously let the royal couple’s debt slide. How could she have not though, when their child was in danger? Belle may have been a Dark One but she was _not_ heartless. 

The doors shut behind her and she stopped after noticing the spinning wheel was empty. Hm. Rumplestiltskin always spun at night (to forget, she knew), and Belle would sit beside him and read. They’d do that all night. She considered it to be their thing. Unfortunately, after falling pregnant, their restless unborn daughter craved stillness and rest. This required Belle to retire to their shared chambers most nights. Sometimes she would get some sleep. Most times she would just lay there with yet another book and attempt to sleep. Rarely did it ever come, as there was always a voice in her head keeping her awake.

With another heavy sigh, Belle sat down in the chair that sat at the head of the table. Rumple’s chair. She slouched down and closed her eyes, wishing the voices in her head would disappear for one night.

Barely a second passed before the presence of magic entered the room, causing Belle to look up. Rumplestiltskin stood before the chair she sat in, his eyes gentle. Belle could sense what he was thinking and quickly shook her head, already moving to stand up. “I’m fine,” she muttered after standing up. Belle moved past him with the intention of heading to their chambers, but Rumple already had a hand around her waist, tugging her closer to where he stood. He didn’t need to say anything, but somehow she knew what he was thinking. Maybe it was from being tethered to the same dagger, or maybe they just knew each other. Either way, his thoughts were becoming more clear in her own. She knew he wasn’t on board with having her deal with The Evil Queen. Normally, he wouldn’t mind. Belle had magic. She could handle herself. No, Belle knew exactly why he was wary with this deal. The baby. 

_Their_ baby. 

Belle felt silly now, thinking he was upset with the one-sided aspect of the deal. It was always about Regina. Of course, he disguised it rather well when dealing with Snow White and Prince Charming, but he would never dare show a vulnerable side while out on a deal. Now, in the privacy of their spell protected castle, he could worry and scheme all he wished.

While lost in her own thoughts, Belle had drifted even closer to where Rumple stood, and was now leaning against him. Her growing stomach made it a bit more difficult to hug, but they always managed. Eventually his voice filled the clouded silence. “Let’s get you to bed, hm?” he suggested and Belle did not fight him on it. Their daughter was restless and she would be until there was peace.

The two walked up the stairs together and reached their private chambers. Belle went to change her outfit using magic, but Rumplestiltskin was one step ahead of her. He exchanged her dark and seductive deal-making outfit for a long, soft, light blue material that hung loosely off of her. Her eccentric heels were replaced with soft stockings, causing her to release a sly smile. While Belle did not have a problem using magic for everyday things, Rumple always reminded her how magic always came at a cost. He’d said once, that he’d much rather pay it than her. The memory caused another smile to form on her face, which also acted as her thanks for the wardrobe swap.

Belle moved slowly over to the bed and slid underneath the duvet, a wave of relaxation hitting her as she sunk into the soft material. She had no need for extravagant luxuries as a Dark One, but that did not mean she didn't’ appreciate them. She knew for her sure their daughter was very much grateful.

After getting comfortable, she glanced over at where Rumple stood. She locked eyes with him immediately, a questioning look on her face. Every night when her body demanded rest, she’d invite her husband to bed with her. Sometimes he would join her, other times he would decline and spin away at his wheel. Belle had not a clue what his answer would be tonight. 

Several moments passed between the two before Rumple made a move. He switched his leathers for a soft, cotton attire, and it was clear what his answer was. Belle smirked and pulled back the duvet, inviting him to lay beside her. He did just that.

\- - -

Morning arrived abruptly and Belle let loose a smile at the sound of birds chirping outside of the window. A part of her always appreciated birds and their beauty. She must have dozed off for a few hours or so sometime during the night, as her husband was no longer in the bed with her. She knew he had work to do. Usually, she did as well. But as the days went on, she found herself more and more interested in relaxing with an exciting book than spending her day slaving over spells or engaging with desperate souls. 

Unfortunately, today was not a day she could do that. She made a deal last night, and it was her duty to honor that deal today. 

\- - -

Belle was not exactly sure _what_ she was going to do regarding Regina. She had let her impulsiveness get the best of her the night before when she agreed to help the couple, not specifying what she would do. Once she was set in a path though, there was no changing her mind. 

She emerged into the main hall wearing a similar outfit to yesterday’s attire. However, this selection focused on darker reds and thinner heels that made Belle feel _powerful_. She always felt powerful (as she was), but today she needed the extra courage when dealing with The Evil Queen.

She was a tad shocked to see Rumple sitting at his spinning wheel so early in the day. Usually, he’d be out on a deal, or working on potions. Strange as it was to see him sitting there, she was happy to see him nonetheless. “Rumple,” she murmured, her heels taking her to where he sat. She adjusted the train of her dress so it wasn’t in the way before taking her usual seat at his spinning wheel. He didn’t acknowledge her presence right away, causing Belle to sigh. “Hi,” she spoke quietly, moving her hand to rest over his leg. He looked up at the contact and gave her a gentle smile. 

“Hi,” he stated simply, his eyes dropping to focus on her curved stomach for merely a moment before focusing back on the wheel. Of course, he was in one of his moods, Belle quickly realized. Probably from their unspoken communication last night. “I’m dealing with Regina today,” Belle said quietly as she stared him down. She assumed he would try and stop her. However, he merely nodded at her words.

“I figured,” he said, continuing to spin away at the wheel. Belle sighed and almost got up to leave before he added more. “I could take care of her for you,” he murmured as he halted the movement of the spinning wheel. “Finish the deal,” he stated simply as he looked up, staring Belle in the eyes for the first time all morning.

Belle pursed her lips before shaking her head. Part of her would have loved that. She had no problem when going on deals that involved minor exchanges, but this was Regina. It always had the potential to end up as a disaster. “It was my deal, I can handle it,” she explained with a shrug. Rumple paused for a few moments before nodding at her words. He stood up and looked down at her. “Well, if you need me,” he made one of his rather flamboyant gestures with his arms, causing Belle to chuckle. 

“Yes, I know,” she replied, smiling at the man who stood in front of her. He nodded once more before his magic took him away and Belle was left sitting in the main hall by herself.

\- - -

Regina sat at her vanity and stared into the mirror, sighing in displeasure. She had never been very patient, but for her to get what she deeply desired, time was a factor. She knew Snow White was barely pregnant, but pregnant nonetheless. She just had to wait and the child would be hers. A smile broke out on Regina’s face at the thought before a different sensation startled her thoughts. _Magic._ The queen quickly turned around in her seat to see who dared enter her chambers without permission. A small woman stood in the middle of the room with a blank expression resting on her face. Regina smiled.

“Belle,” Regina said. She slowly stood up and started walking to where the girl had made her presence. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” She noticed the woman’s stomach had grown quite a bit since she had last seen her. Of course, Regina had known the girl to be with child. People talked. 

“Why do you think I am here, your majesty?” Belle inquired, moving away from the queen’s line of sight. _Leverage,_ Belle remembered. She couldn’t make herself vulnerable in even the slightest sense. 

Regina merely shrugged at the girl’s question. “Is it about that lovely imp of yours?” She questioned with a smirk. Belle ached to roll her eyes but she didn’t want to give anything to Regina that she could use against her. Not when she had to worry about her own child. 

“Not this time,” she teased, darkness heavy in her voice. “No, it’s actually about some people you know. Snow White and Prince Charming?” she said in return with the same smirk Regina had given her previously. Regina’s mouth narrowed at the question and she moved to where Belle stood, anger clearly growing in her eyes. 

“What about Snow White and Prince Charming?” Regina growled. Belle shrugged and moved past where Regina stood, heading straight for her vanity. “I’ve heard something” she replied, twisting the vanity chair around before sitting it. She was now facing Regina, who stood in the middle of the room. “Something about how you want to take their unborn child,” she finished, each spoken word thick and deep. Regina hesitated before speaking. 

“That’s none of your business,” the queen said plainly. Belle laughed a tad as she readjusted in her seat. 

“Actually, it is,” she explained without delving into details. Regina narrowed her eyes in on the girl before releasing a small smile.

“They called on you,” Regina stated, causing Belle to shift again. “They made a deal,” she said with a smirk. Belle knew the queen would eventually figure it out, she wasn’t oblivious. She resolved to just shrugging at the queen.

“I was happy to oblige. You want to take their child from them,” Belle said, her voice growing angy. She stood up and started to make her way over to where Regina stood. “You can’t take their _child_ , Regina,” the small woman said, her voice deepening with every word.

Regina scoffed. “Please, Belle. You really needn’t get involved. This is between myself and Snow White,” she reasoned, sarcasm flushing out her words. Somehow, this made Belle angrier. Before she could respond, the Evil Queen was already cutting in again. 

“How about we make a deal instead?” Regina questioned abruptly, causing Belle to narrow her eyes at the woman. 

“What kind of deal?” the Dark One replied. Regina smirked at the response.

“I will spare Snow White’s child,” the queen began, which made Belle raise an eyebrow, “if you give me _your_ child instead.”

It didn’t take long and Belle blamed it on instinct, but she did not care at the moment. Regina was now hanging mid-air, both her hands clawing at her throat for a sense of relief. The petite woman had one hand extended to keep the queen up, her grip intensifying the pain with every passing moment. Regina thrashed and struggled in the embrace, which Belle responded to by moving her majesty closer to the balcony. How dare she threaten to take their child. 

Belle didn’t like doing this. Deep down, she despised it. A truly powerful event needed to occur in order to elicit this reaction. Otherwise, she would leave the dirty work to Rumple. But she was on her own this time and the darkness was powerful. The darkness was always more powerful.

Regina continued to thrash in the embrace and the Dark One was inching closer to the balcony when the sensation of magic presented itself yet again. She already knew who it was, but she did not let go of her grip just yet. Regina was going to pay.

“Belle,” a deep voice said behind her, but she didn’t turn to look. _Rumplestiltskin._ At this point, Belle wanted to stop, but she couldn’t. She continued to step towards the balcony, Regina’s shrieks filling the air as Belle’s grip grew tighter. “Please,” the voice behind her murmured, but the voices in her head were stronger. She kept moving until the Evil Queen was hanging over nothing. Rumple followed her as she moved, but she didn’t care. All that mattered was that Regina was going to pay.

“Belle, stop,” he said quietly, pressing both his hands to her waist. He pressed his lips to her hair and exhaled softly. _God,_ Belle wanted to turn around. Instead, she merely bit down on her lip and focused on the voices in her head. The voices that told her to keep Regina over the edge as she continued to thrash. 

“She has to pay,” Belle growled, her grip loosening ever so slightly, “she threatened to take our child.” She wasn’t sure if she was telling Rumplestiltskin, or merely justifying her reasons. She still didn’t care. She felt Rumple sigh against her ear and for the first time, she snuck a small glance at him. 

“We need her,” he mumbled in response, audible to only her. Belle’s breath hitched at the words. He was right. They had undisclosed plans, and unfortunately, Regina was a necessary piece. She couldn’t harm her. 

Belle took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut before nodding curtly at her husband, who stepped aside. She thought about the love she had for her husband and his long lost son and their child as she internally fought against the darkness. She struggled, but managed to back up several paces before releasing her grip all together, not bothering to watch as Regina hit the floor. 

The queen began to rise to her feet, anger spread all over her face. “You’ll pay for this,” she growled, but Belle was no longer in the mood. She cast a look at Rumple that said she just wanted to go home. She didn’t want to look at the wretched queen anymore.

He was quick to nod at her in return, meaning she had her answer. In an instant, her blue smoke filled the room and she was gone. Rumplestiltskin watched as she left before turning all his attention to Regina, a smirk on his face.

“Now, I think we need to have a little chat,” he said to Regina, a high pitched giggle following his words.

\- - - 

A groan escaped Belle’s lips as she sat at the main table. She couldn’t believe she had let that happen. She knew better. They needed Regina for the curse and Belle had almost offed her right there and then. There was also the matter of her husband, who had appeared out of thin air during the conflict. How did he know Regina was in danger?

She had been sitting in the main hall for what felt like hours when Rumplestiltskin returned. She didn’t bother to look up as he pulled up a chair beside her. “Hi,” he spoke quietly. No response. He sighed heavily before reaching over to grab her hand. “You’ll be happy to know that Snow White’s child is spared. Regina will not be interfering anymore.” Belle nodded at his words, so many thoughts flying through her head. The silence between them was intense, but Belle needed to be brave.

“You were watching, weren’t you?” she questioned, lifting her head to look into his eyes. She never called on him, meaning he had to have been watching the two women. He didn’t object, giving Belle her answer. 

Part of her wanted to be angry. Did he not trust her enough to deal with Regina? She didn’t need help, she could handle herself. However, the more rational side of her felt grateful. If he hadn’t been watching, there was no doubt that Belle would have done something irreversible. Something even her and Rumplestiltskin combined couldn’t fix. 

“I had to,” he stated with pleading eyes, “this is _Regina_ we are talking about.” Belle made a sound that was halfway between a groan and a laugh. Unpredictable Regina. Belle couldn’t blame him. 

Ultimately, she mustered up some more courage before speaking again. “I’m sorry I almost ruined everything,” she said, half jokingly as she gave his hand a light squeeze. She didn’t want to argue with him and she didn’t want him to be mad at her. If anything, she wanted to forget this had ever happened. 

A chuckle escaped his lips and he shook his head. “It’s alright, my love,” he responded, a genuine smile forming on his face. He lifted his other hand to cradle her face. “Regina is still very much alive, meaning nothing is ruined.” Again, Belle could only nod because her husband was right. As long as Regina strove for vengeance against Snow White (which she would, even though the child-card was no longer available), their plan was still intact. They would succeed. 

Belle leaned over to press a chaste kiss to her husband’s cheek, murmuring a quick “thank you” before standing up to begin her walk to the stairs. She had already decided she was going to let this incident go. There was no point in crying over spilled milk. Snow White’s child would remain hers, Regina would continue to strive towards revenge, and Belle and Rumplestiltskin would wait for the opportune moment. They would succeed _and_ they would have their child. 

Yes, they would be just fine.


End file.
